Working for a city that has Cesar Chavez Day off so Happy Cesar Chavez Day y'all! Yes while most of you slave over your jobs today I am lounging around celebrating. Actually as I type I am contemplating how exactly I want to celebrate this glorious holiday....the options are so overwhelming...and the traditions have not been established yet so its pretty much a celebration free for all.

In case you don't know who Cesar Chavez is let me tell you...he was an American farm worker, labor leader and civil rights activist. He started the National Farm Workers Association. I tried to look on-line to see what kind of food he liked but I wasn't coming up empty handed so I don't know how exactly to commemorate him. Since he is a Mexican American I decided that the shrimp tacos I made the other night will have to do.



So I made Shrimp Tacos with Mango Slaw and this was a really light and flavorful meal. Although it worked for March I would definitely reserve it for more of a warm Summer evening with a good bottle of cerveza.

The tacos have a dressing on them which is made from mayonnaise, Sriracha (the red Thai sauce with the chicken on it), lime juice, sugar and cilantro. You put all of the ingredients in the food processor and give it a whirl.



Once the sauce is done throw the shrimp in the sauce and then cook the shrimp is 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil. The recipe said they only needed to cook 3 minutes but I cooked them a little longer until they were completely opaque.

The mango slaw is super easy. Chop the cilantro, red onion and mango and throw it in a bowl with some coleslaw mix and the remaining sauce. Add salt to taste

Warm up crispy taco shells in the oven and then compile your tacos. You can serve them with a little extra Sriracha if you are as crazy about that sauce as I am. I served the tacos with Chardonnay and that worked but I think beer would have been better...just saying.



Happiness is also caprese salad and a good bottle of pinot grigio. I used the Spanish olive oil and red wine vinegar that I bought at Vom Foss and I made a caprese salad this past weekend. There is truly nothing better than soft mozzarella cheese, ripe tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper and good quality olive oil and vinegar. Heaven!!

Well hope you all have a good day. I now have to get back to my holiday. Cheers!

So when you get a text that says,"hey babe I have 3 over ripe bananas do you want them," your knee jerk reaction is to respond with a "WTF." However, once I was able to move past the thought of "damn this is the creepiest text message I have received all day," I started to think of what I could do with 3 mushy brown bananas...so I googled it. And this recipe for Banana Crumb Muffins came up and since they actually looked good which for me to say anything with bananas in it looks good is a feat in and of itself...so I decided to try them. And I have to say I am impressed...they are good...the taste of banana is not so strong that it is overpowering and they are really moist and I love the taste of the brown sugar crumble on top. Plus I got to use my pink ribbon breast cancer awareness muffin cups so I was all excited about that. And because I made something spur of the moment without going to the grocery store first I felt all innovative and creative.



The muffins are also very easy to make and they would be perfect for an Easter brunch celebration if anyone is planning a soiree like that. It is a little strange that the recipe only makes 10 muffins, does anyone have a 10 muffin muffin pan? Hmmm last time I looked most muffin pans came with 12 holes for muffins. Just an observation.

So start by combining the dry ingredients-flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. For the longest time I only used Kosher salt in cooking and not baking but I have started to use it in both and it seems to work just fine...2nd observation of the day. In a separate bowl mash the bananas and then add the sugar, egg and melted butter. Then combine the dry and wet ingredients only stirring until combined. Fill the muffin cups approximately 2/3 full....I love big muffin tops so mine were probably a little fuller.

In yet another bowl....yes this recipe does dirty a lot of dishes...combine the crumble topping which consists of brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter and mush together until its a crumbly texture. Sprinkle on the top of your muffins and bake for 18-20 minutes. Voila! They really are some of the best muffins I have made and I really struggle with saying that because of that key ingredient-banana. But since one of my New Years resolutions was trying to conquer my banana fear....wow look at me go!
As many of you know my muffins in the past have tended to be kind of dense and bordering on a little too hearty and these are definitely more light and fluffy and moist.

Tonight I was planning on making chocolate cloud cookies however when I read the recipe I realized the dough had to sit for an hour and so I had to chose between sleep and cookies and I opted for sleep since I have to work in the morning. Cookies will be forth coming later in the week. Does anyone have any exciting food plans for the upcoming Easter holiday?

So I spent this weekend crying over movies...which honestly I am notorious for crying at the end of just about every movie. So this was nothing new for me. I am that girl that will cry every single time I see Old Yeller or even those cheesy Hugh Grant films where everyone always finds love and lives happily ever after....I know lame but yes tears...and I am not a pretty crier I am the full on snot, red eyes, streaks through the make-up kind of crier. Its truly awesome! It was especially wonderful yesterday after leaving the movie theater because I swear there were like 5 ushers waiting to clean the theater as I walk out looking like I had been through the washing machine.

 But this weekend although both of the movies I watched told very different stories they both had a common theme-Courage! I watched The Help and Acts of Valor and I walked away from seeing them both with a very strong message. Courage is not just about being strong it is about standing up for what you believe, its about doing what is right even when that is hard, its about fighting for those you care about and the ideals you treasure, its about standing strong when there is opposition and its about finding the positive even in the darkest times. Its about making sacrifices, looking fear in the face but continuing to move forward and its about finding the passion within yourself to be strong. These movies made me treasure our soldiers that are fighting for our country and who are keeping our values, ideals and beliefs safe. They also made me thankful  for our predecessors who started the fight that brought us our values, ideals and beliefs. It made me think about the people before us who forged ahead when there was no path and started a trail when all they saw was brush. This message came at a perfect time because fear can be a crippling emotion but we all have the courage inside of ourselves to hold our heads high, celebrate life and embrace the passion that makes us whole. Cheers I will drink to that!!!



Since its a rainy day I decided to make something in the crock pot which would make the house smell good and be warm and cozy after a wet and dreary day. I found a recipe in Food Network Magazine for Ropa Vieja which is literally translated to mean Old Clothes. When I first saw that translation my first thought was obviously WTH! I just didn't get the correlation between old clothes and wanting to eat it. Hmmm....however once I found the legend behind the name it all made sense. Legend has it that this recipe got its name from a man who was very poor and couldn't afford to buy dinner for his family. So he went to his closet and gathered some old clothes and imbued them with his love. When he cooked the clothes the love for his family turned them into a wonderful beef stew. As you all know I truly believe that cooking is an act of love and its often one of my favorite ways to be nurturing and show I care so this legend made this recipe really resonate with me.

The recipe is Cuban and is normally a shredded skirt steak in a tomato base. I did learn that often times people mistake skirt steak and flank steak for each other however they are different cuts of meat. Skirt steak is most commonly associated with carne asada however if you have trouble finding it just ask your local butcher as they will usually have it on hand.



This recipe has a tomato base that is made with crushed tomatoes, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, garlic, cumin, salt and jalapeno. Depending on how spicy you like your food you can either leave the seeds in your jalapeno or take them out. I opted to take the seeds out as I decided its easier to add spice than it is to take it out. Then add the steak, thinly sliced onions and sliced bell peppers (I decided to use orange because I thought the color would be pretty). Awww aesthetic food!Put everything in the slow cooker and cook for 8 hours.

When you are ready to serve it shred the meat with 2 forks and then add olive brine and 3 T chopped green olives with pimientos. Love the salt! Serve over rice. It is definitely the perfect meal for a warm, cozy winter night and I recommend it paired with a light Mexican beer like Pacifico.

I found a recipe for bbq oysters, has anyone ever tried that? I love oysters and I truly think that shucking them is the biggest pain in the ass on the face of the Earth. So this recipe says that if you put them on the bbq they will open themselves. Just wanted to know if anyone has any experience with this method. Anyone?

Do you ever have those days where you just crave warm cozy food? Today was one of those days for me so I was debating on what type of comfort food needed to be on the menu tonight....hmmm should I go traditional with meatloaf and mashed potatoes, dessert with chocolate cake or oh yeah Italian!!! However, Italian comfort food could be a category in and of itself...lasagna, pizza, cannoli or hell pretty much any type of pasta. However, thanks to Erin's Mom who told her "Friday was spaghetti and meatball night," I had spaghetti and meatballs stuck in my head. And surprisingly I had been carrying around a penne pasta and meatball recipe with me for quite some time.



I have to admit that even though I do a great deal of Italian cooking I do not have a lot of meatball experience. So tonights recipe had me mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, garlic, salt and milk in a bowl to make the meatball mixture. And at first glance I truly thought they were too liquidy and they would just fall apart in the pan. However, once they were shaped into balls and I started to brown them in butter they stuck really well and they were very moist and not dry at all like some meatballs can get.

So while I was cooking the meatballs I was also cooking the penne pasta. Once the meatballs were browned I added cream, vodka, tomato paste, red pepper flakes (I actually probably could have added more than the recipe called for) and another clove of garlic. Simmer covered for 5 minutes and then add a can of drained tomatoes and parmesan. The sauce was very creamy with a hint of spice from the peppers and mild acidity due to the tomatoes and tomato paste. Serve the sauce and meatballs over the pasta and this truly was one of the best meals I have made in a long time. No Cooking Light or low fat deal about it but damn it was good. I served it with a bottle of Opolo Merlot and I have to say that the wine was good by itself but it was much better with the food and it truly complimented the tomato vodka cream sauce.

Hearty Penne Alla Vodka
1lb penne
1lb ground beed
1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1T butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup vodka
3T tomato paste
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 an (15oz) diced tomatoes drained well
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3T fresh basil (which I forgot to put on the pasta)
Additional Parmesan if needed

1. Cook penne in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water until al dente; firm but tender. Drain well

2. Meanwhile combine beef, bread crumbs, half of garlic, salt and milk in a bowl. Shape into about 16 1" balls.



3. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over med heat. Add meatballs, cook 6 minutes turning as they brown. Add cream, vodka, tomato paste, red pepper flakes and remaining garlic to skillet. Simmer covered 5 min. Stir in tomatoes and Parmesan cook 1 min or until heated through

4. Spoon meatballs and sauce over cooked pasta. Sprinkle with basil. Serve with additional Parmesan if desired.


Ok so if you are trying to counteract the cream of this meal here is a low fat meal that you can make the next night. I actually made this last night Salmon with Smashed Peas. I wasn't sure of the whole smashed pea thing just because well smashed peas don't sound very exciting. But these were cooked with caramelized leaks, lemon juice and salt and it was really tasty. The salmon is served on top of the puree and the color contrast was really pretty. My only word of advice is that the pea puree smells kind of odd so maybe just don't put your nose in the mixture before you try it.

On a side note my dog had 2 tumors removed last week and he kind of looks like Franken-dog due to his large incisions and stitches from his surgery. And as part of his post-op advice we were told to put frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel on his incisions. So when I made the ingredient list for the salmon and smashed peas I had to remind someone to buy peas and they did not understand why the frozen peas that had been on the dogs ass couldn't be used for dinner. Hmmm I don't know I just don't care that the peas are in a package and encased in a towel my general rule is if food has touched someone or somethings ass it is no longer edible, isn't that a given? Just saying.

So I have had a request to get away from cookies and brownies and try pies and cakes, does anyone have any good recommendations?

For those of you who know me you all know that when I find a libation I love I really love it!!! So when I was in Ireland I found one of my passions-Bulmers!! I discovered it on my last night in Dublin and my love affair began instantly and since the bartender told me I couldn't find it in the United States I kind of found myself in a state of panic. I knew it was a heavy carry on but I was willing to bear the weight to bring it to America. Bulmers is an alcoholic apple cider however unlike the more common pear ciders it is not syrupy sweet and it is truly refreshing and easy to drink. It is amazing on a warm summer afternoon or just for a night of watching soccer and drinking.



So as some of you know I have a pattern of what we shall call "border issues" so I was a little concerned about bringing Bulmers to America but I decided it was worth the risk. I also decided to bring some Irish cheese home with me and since I bought it at the airport I was confident in its ability to cross international borders. Boy was I wrong because when I got to Irish customs they could care less about my Bulmers but my cheese was confiscated. Unfortunately this was not my first experience with "border issues." My first "border issue" was with the Canadian/American border and we won't tell that story on this blog. My 2nd border issue was with the Mexican/American border while trying to bring Cuban cigars across...however thankfully the border patrol officer fell for the "cutie thing" and my cigars made it through. And well in Ireland 1 out of 2 isn't bad...so the Bulmers came home and the cheese went to the garbage. Since that fateful trip to Ireland I have learned that they do carry Bulmers in America but it has an alias as its called Magners. So hooray for international imports!!!



To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, which is a cultural and religious holiday, honoring the patron saint of Ireland I decided to make Reuben Soup. It is kind of a spin off on the sandwich yet in soup version which was perfect for the cold rainy day that it was here in So Cal today. When I first read the recipe I was intrigued but a little scared but I decided to give it a try. However, I did not realize what an undertaking I was getting myself into as when I went to the grocery store I couldn't find cooked corned beef. So I was cocky and decided hell I can cook the corned beef and then make the soup...well after 3 1/2 hours of cooking corned beef I could finally start the soup. Nothing like an all day soup undertaking right?



For the soup, saute the onion and celery in butter. Add 1/4 cup flour as a thickener for the soup and stir until smooth. Add 4 cubes of beef bouillon and 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes and then add 3 cups half and half, 1 cup shredded swiss cheese, 8 oz shredded corned beef and 1 cup sauerkraut. Cook for 30 minutes on low heat. Once the soup is done toast rye bread and put it on top of the soup in oven proof bowls. Sprinkle with more shredded swiss cheese and put it in the broiler to melt the cheese.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed this soup. I actually was pretty proud and excited about my soup. It has a creamy texture and the sauerkraut gave it a tangy taste that worked really well with the swiss cheese. This is definitely a comfort food and it really did remind me of the sandwich which I really didn't think was possible. I definitely recommend this soup recipe if you are looking for something different for St. Patrick's Day or for any other cool night. Cheers!!!

I am thankful for the fact that I work in a profession that allows me to have an a plethora of guinea pigs. Its not every job where you have a eating audience of 25 at your disposal and if I really want to reach I could even say I have approximately 256 peripheral consumers. As you all may have guessed by now I love to cook but I don't know how to make small portions and I don't know what to do with a ton of leftovers because I hate eating the same thing over and over again. So my job allows me to cook until my hearts content and always have someone to eat it because as we all know from our childhood there are starving children in Ethiopia. I know the country often changes but that saying seems to be timeless. When I was a kid we use to call it being a member of the "clean plate club," however as I got older I realized that members of that club aren't always healthy so I had to adjust that belief a bit.

Photo by Marlana

Tonight we had the 2nd potluck this week at work and although it was fajita night I opted to bring dessert. I found a recipe for fudgey brownies with icing and mini chocolate chips so how could I go wrong. They smelled like heaven as they came out of the oven and because I started baking them a little late they also made my car smell like a chocolate factory as I drove to work.

As most brownies are they were super easy to make. Just cream the butter and sugar in a mixer and add sour cream which was new to me. I couldn't taste it in the brownies so I am not really sure of the purpose but I figured if its in the recipe lets go with it. I also added an egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl you combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt...which you then add into the butter/sugar mixture. Finally stir in the mini chocolate chips and place in pan to bake. The frosting was also very easy-butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Voila!!! And the icing was great to lick off the beater.

Here is the recipe:  Hersheys Double Chocolate Chip Brownies

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened ***I never use margarine for baking just don't like the flavor ***
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup dairy sour cream ***why do you think they put dairy in the title? ***
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup Hersheys cocoa
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9" square baking dish. In bowl, beat butter, sugar and egg until light and fluffy. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat until well blended. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture and blend well. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake 30-35 min or until wooden pick inserted in center barely comes out clean. Do not overbake (love that instruction like anyone has the intention of burning the shit out of their brownies). Cool completely. Frost.

Frosting:
3T butter or margarine, softened
3T cocoa
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2T milk

In a small mixer bowl, beat butter and cocoa until blended. Add vanilla and powdered sugar; beat well. Gradually add milk, beating until smooth and of spreading consistency. Add additional milk, 1 tsp at a time, if needed.

And because my blog just wouldn't be the same without some random fact, did you know that they had a competition for the worlds best pizza in Las Vegas and the winner was a pizza by Goodfellas Brick Oven Pizza from Staten Island. However, the winner wasn't what I imagined...this spicy marinara sauce, mozzarella laden and pepperoni filled heaven...it was asiago cheese, mozzarella, shrimp, lime, mango salsa and a pineapple cream sauce with petron. Oy what has the world come to!!?? I love creative food but really I am not so sure about this.

Also if you are looking for an entertaining food blog other than mine try: http://www.twogirlscookingblog.com/
Please share any other interesting food blogs because I am on a quest to find other kindred spirits.

So I took Wednesday off work since I have to work this Friday and I started off my morning craving grilled steak. Ya know how sometimes your body just craves protein that was pretty much me. And since I think about food constantly I had the perfect recipe in mind-Cowboy Steak with Whiskey Butter. I decided to go by Novy Ranches and get some grass fed beef and then stop at a grocery store to get the rest of my ingredients. I knew that I had to make my butter at least 3 hours ahead of time so I wanted to be prepared for my perfect meal.

Sure enough before I went to the gym I let my butter sit out so it could soften, let my shallots soak in whiskey just as the recipe said and then mixed in the parsley and spices to my butter/shallot concoction. I carefully rolled it into a log and put it in the refrigerator for its designated 3 hours. And hence that is where it is still sitting as I promptly forgot about it. I have the worst attention deficit disorder...self diagnosed of course....I am truly one of those people who chase shiny objects, get distracted by something pretty, funny, moves fast or smells good. And hence the forgotten butter.

So yes I went to the gym, had a great workout and came back famished and ready to eat my visionary grilled steak. I let the steak sit out until it was room temperature and rubbed it with olive oil and my cowboy rub which consisted of 3 different types of chile powder, smoked paprika, white pepper and salt. It smelled earthy, spicy and smokey and it just seemed like it would be a perfect combination for the tender rib eye steaks I purchased. So on the grill they went and they cooked quickly to perfection. From the grill they went directly on my plate and they were completed with caesar salad and a good glass of red wine. And yet my whiskey butter still continued to sit in the fridge.

You would have thought that at some point during the meal I would have been like hmmm these steaks are missing something, gosh where is my whiskey butter or crap I forgot my whiskey butter but alas none of those thoughts even remotely entered my mind. It wasn't until I was cleaning the kitchen and putting away the leftovers that I opened the fridge and exclaimed with horror,"shit I forgot the whiskey butter."

So yes here is the recipe for Cowboy Steak with Whiskey Butter but I can only truly vouch for the Cowboy Steak part....great rub and great warm summer meal. As for the whiskey butter it looks damn good in my fridge and I have a hell of a lot of it so if anyone needs some butta' please let me know.



I did however discover a really cool place in Westlake Village this week called Vom Foss. It is a European chain that has 5 American stored and it has oils, vinegars and liquor like whiskey and scotch but the cool thing is that you can taste everything before you purchase it. The store is a German chain and the name means "from the cask." I seriously could have spent hours there tasting the different between Spanish, French, Greek and Italian olive oil or the difference between the balsamic vinegars that have been aged for varying periods of time. They have flavor infused oils such as rosemary, garlic and pepper oils. I stayed away from the whiskeys and scotches just because the alcohol content is instant death for me. But the oils and vinegar were a lot of fun to taste, high quality and really gave the store a festive atmosphere. I ended up walking out with some Spanish olive oil which has a strong olive flavor and is very buttery. I also purchased some Spanish red wine vinegar which will be too die for over a Caprese salad for the summer. I definitely recommend this place and I will be back....because as many of you know I truly am an olive oil snob.

Hope everyone is enjoying there week...we have rain coming to Southern California this weekend...so I am really hoping I don't melt. I am also working tomorrow night and I am looking forward to potluck #2...think I am bringing brownies...but Marl that could change.

Has anyone been to the Falafel Grill in Agoura Hills? i love falafels and I was thinking of trying it. So glad I now know where my love of falafels came from. XOXO

I know this is going to surprise you but I wasn't one of those hopelessly romantic chicks that thought Titanic was the most amazing love story around. I actually thought "dear god this is a long movie and I hate this Celine Dion song." And so you can only imagine how thrilled I am that its coming back into theaters in 3D. Wow great idea Hollywood lets bring back a movie where the majority of people die a horrific death and make it more realistic for the viewers. Big water, big boat equals big disaster in my book.

 So I was talking to one of my co-workers today who truly is one of those "I love Titanic" people and she was talking about how many times she saw the first one. However, she doesn't like the underwater scenes because she has a fear of drowning...so she is a little concerned about this dang 3D feature. Since I am always trying to be helpful I thought to myself well its still a movie theater....hmmm how about taking off the 3D glasses. Dang this new technology and all the things we have to face, right? Haha

So this week I am working nights and as you know its always a hard adjustment, but to make it better I decided to bribe myself and suck those I work with into a  potluck. So tonight we are all bringing in yummy food....sure I will be using food to stay awake but I have also found that food just makes people happy...hmmm now I sound like an enabler don't I. And ya know what sometimes I am ok with being an enabler especially if it means good food!!! And hell its better to use food to stay awake and not crack...why you might ask...oh that's right I find employment attractive.



I made a Spicy Macaroni and Cheese...I actually made it because I thought 3 of my co-workers were vegetarian however when I mentioned that I found out that 2 of the 3 have fallen off the vegetarian bandwagon. Oh well you still can't go wrong with 4 different types of cheese, heavy cream and pasta. Hell to the yeah!!! I found this recipe on Food Network and its chile powder and pepper jack cheese that gives it the spice.

So today I officially graduated and became a resident of Southern California. My best friend talked me into getting my first spray tan!! Sure I could blame it on peer pressure or too much Jersey Shore or wanting my legs to look more cut with a tan or being adventurous or being kidnapped...but really lets be honest there is no excuse. Unfortunately as you all know I am not the best at following directions so somewhere during the "how to" discussion by the employee my mind started wandering and I stopped listening...however I got the part where she said go in the booth and it will talk to you and tell you what to do...so I thought I had this spray tan thing in the bag, right? WRONG!!!

I didn't count on the fact that the spray tan booth was hard to understand or the fact that getting sprayed over your entire naked body with cold paint would take my breath away...so when the spray stopped I was too busy trying to breath and couldn't focus on the directions. Hence that is the reason why only the front of me is spray tanned...and not just once but twice...so the front of me is dark and the back of me is still ghostly white. Yup I am looking pretty sexy. And the advice of my dear best friend afterwards was "Well just wear pants." Gee thanks for that as if I normally walk around without pants. However, in my defense I am not alone...my experienced best friend is tanned on the front and her left side...she was thinking it was a booth that required 4 rotations...one for each quadrant of her body...yet it was only 2 (front and back). I really can't wait to see her tomorrow since her left arm will be tan but not her right and her left facial cheek will be tan but not her right and well just like me her backside will be pale. Yes these are the experiences that bring us together.



After that liberating experience I decided I need to bake and for some reason the idea of S'mores Cookies in the middle of March sounded like a great idea. Sure it could have been due to the fact that it was 85 degrees on Friday however it is no longer that warm. Yet these cookies still look really fun and festive and they are yummy to eat.



The dough has some interesting ingredients which give them a nuttier flavor than most cookie dough. The dough is made with old fashioned rolled oats that you put in the food processor and pulse until its finely ground. Then combine with all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. I always use whole wheat pastry flour just because it is a little finer but that is a personal preference. In a mixer combine softened butter and sugar and cream together. Add 1 egg and combine and then add the flour mixture. Drop tablespoons of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet (I kept it ungreased) and add a square of Hersheys chocolate on top of each mound of dough. Bake for 12 minutes-rotating the pan halfway through the cooking period. When they are done baking place half of a marshmallow on top of the chocolate and put the pan in the broiler. The recipe says to cook it for 60-90 seconds but I found that 45 seconds was more accurate. Cool the cookies on a wire rack and voila!!!

Also if anyone is looking for a refreshing, zesty and fun salad I highly recommend Caribbean Shrimp Salad with Lime Vinaigrette. It is perfect for a warm summer day and its paired nicely with a crisp white wine. Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend and wish me luck because I will be working nights this week....oy.

BTW I went to the Grammy Museum today and it was really cool...definitely recommend it.

Before picture of Miss Kitty

And Mom this picture is for you.

As many of you know I am not a sentimental or overly emotional person. However, it never fails that at the end of a show like Top Chef where you see someone master their dream I always cry right along with them. It is so motivating and so powerful to watch someone accomplish so much, to work so hard and to see that level of success. It is so touching to see the looks of elation and pride on the faces of their families. This season I was definitely on Team Paul from the very beginning. There was something about his round little face, his eyes that smiled and his chubby cheeks complete with dimples that won my heart. I loved to see his competitive edge coupled with his sensitive side and although I did not have an aesthetic crush on him I definitely had a professional crush on him. So congratulations Paul the win was well deserved and I will definitely look for your restaurant!!!



So the other night after a long day at a dog oncologist...yes they do have those...well ya know this is L.A. they have it all I decided I needed to spend some time in the kitchen de-stressing and doing something creative. I decided to make Posole because I had found a recipe in Cooking Light that sounded easy and healthy. However, my vision did not quite go as planned....

The recipe starts off easy and normal enough....heat olive oil in a pan...done! Add dried oregano, ground cumin, chili powder and garlic...also done! Look into pot to mix and see the ingredients...and oh yeah that is where the trouble started...I still had to breath. So I took a deep breath and inhaled oh yeah....chili powder!!! I started coughing and snotting instantly as if I had been pepper sprayed. The chile powder somehow also ended up in the air...it was so bad that the dog was sneezing!!! So I pretty much ended up pepper spraying my own house...so very smooth!!!

Once the chile powder subsided and I cleaned myself up I could continue on my merry cooking way and the rest of the recipe went off without a hitch. From that point you add celery and onion and saute. The recipe calls for canned tomatillos that you chop up and they were actually super easy and flavorful to use. Then add chicken broth and hominy. The recipe calls for rotisserie chicken breast so it truly is very fast and easy to make. Finally finish it off with some lime juice, salt and pepper and serve with radishes and avocado on top. It was great!!! I would totally make this recipe again...well if I remembered it and I wasn't in the midst of trying something new.

BTW does anyone know where to find sweet potato fries locally? I have been looking for them.
And for those of you who haven't seen a picture of my cat that I just had shaved....for a good laugh.

Let me start by saying I am not fishing for compliments because honestly that is one of my pet peeves. I hate when skinny people always talk about how much weight they have put on, how people with pretty feet talk about how ugly they are without seeing mine or how people with amazing hair talk about bad hair days (yes, Erin that one is for you). If anyone wants to respond please respond with honesty cause I can take it. I am just having one of those days where I feel fat...even after working out, counting calories and drinking 19 glasses of water...I feel like a chunky monkey. Ok maybe it did have something to do with the cinnamon chip scones this weekend but I did at least run 6 miles to try and counter act them. But seriously I know we all have those days where you just feel blah and don't they just suck.

So what do I do I cook....ahh yeah it may sound counter productive to some of you but I always feel healthier and more in control of my food intake when I cook so that is what I did. And get this I did not drink wine while I cooked....yes that bottle of open wine stared at me with a sad face while I made Thai Dumpling Soup...but I decided flavored water was way healthier.



Speaking of wine I was at a friends house and they offered me pink wine, said that is all they have. Hmmm you may be thinking is this really a friend of Danah's? I know right. I always associate pink wine with being 15 and learning how to drink wine, cheap Beringer white zinfandel, syrupy sweet and being dumb and giggly but thinking you are so classy because you have a wine glass in your hand. Just saying. I know I am being judgmental and there is actually some decent pink wine out there now...but this is one area that I am going to remain a wine snob for now. So here is your challenge find me a pink wine that I can endorse....ready, set, go.....suggestions?

So this recipe can be made with meat or can be made with all veggies and since I hadn't done a vegetarian recipe in awhile that is exactly what I decided to do. Let me start by saying it was the ingredient list that made me fall in love with this recipe. I love coconut milk and the broth is a chicken broth (but vegetable broth can be substituted) and coconut milk mixture. I love curry powder...when there isn't too much of it....especially when its mixed with coconut milk. I also love mushrooms and this recipe calls for shitakes. I do have to say that I couldn't find fresh ones so I had to use the dried ones and reconstitute them and they are a little chewy but they are definitely edible. And seriously I love pot stickers so this soup was an all round win win in my mind.

Start the recipe by sauteing the celery, mushrooms and curry powder until the curry powder is toasted. I love the smell of curry powder being toasted...nutty, spicy and pungent! Then add the broth, coconut milk, fish sauce and water and bring to a simmer. I know that some people are grossed out, creeped out or turned off by the idea of fish sauce but really it is just salty so seriously just try it and face that fear. I also learned an interesting thing about coconut milk, did you know it separates? So you should always stir it to combine the solids on the top and the liquid on the bottom. I also have to say that I know that the stores sell light coconut milk but I always stay true to my recipe with coconut milk so unless it calls for light I get full strength.

Add the green beans and bell peppers and simmer until crisp tender. Add the pot stickers and cook for about 4 minutes...please make sure they are not still frozen...and its a good excuse to put one in your mouth. Stir in the lime juice and add additional fish sauce or salt to your desired saltiness. Top with scallions and serve with additional lime.

This soup is really very refreshing and has a lot of great flavors. I think it will honestly be even better leftover when I take it for lunch tomorrow.  Funny thing is when I was getting the cooking bug tonight I was debating on recipes and it was a toss up between this soup and Smores Cookies...hmm could 2 recipes be anymore different, right?

Well Happy Monday y'all and hope this week is filled with good wine, good friends and good food. Cheers!

Have you ever flown into Sacramento airport? It is one of my favorite airports and it is not because I have any affection for Sacramento. If anything it is the opposite as I got stranded once at that airport due to weather conditions that would not allow me to fly home. However, not only is it the closest airport to Napa (wine country) it also has a Cinnabon and that is the first thing you smell when you get off your plane and you start walking towards baggage claim. There is seriously nothing better than the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls and sure companies have tried to market that smell in candles, potpourri and other deodorizing sprays but alas there ain't nothing like the real thing baby.

And tonight although I did not make cinnamon rolls I got that smell wafting through the house as I made Cinnamon Chip Scones.  Let me start by saying thank you Emily because I had no idea what a cinnamon chip was until a few weeks ago and seriously these chips are well worth the ordering process on www.amazon.com. They really have a great cinnamon taste....because of course I had to try a few out of the bag. They are sweet but not sickeningly sweet and they are spicy but not overpowering like some cinnamon products can be. And they are truly amazing in scones.

I am seriously a scone connoisseur and sure Starbucks has decent scones but real scones are way more buttery and flaky and not to toot my own horn but my scones pretty much rock. I have gone to great lengths to taste scones. For example, if anyone is ever in Carmel (outside of Monterey for those geographically challenged individuals like myself) there is a great tea/scone place called The Tuck Box. It is by far one of the cutest buildings ever and they have amazing scones. I actually made my ex-husband sit through tea and scones at this place because I wanted to go so badly....and ok maybe it was the grounds for the divorce...but hell it was worth it thats how damn good the scones were.


So back to cinnamon chip scones.

The key to good scones truly is cold real unsalted butter. You need to cut it into squares prior to mixing it in the dough and be cautious of breaking it up too much because it truly is the butter which gives the scones the flaky texture.



This is one of the easiest scone recipes I have ever made. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. There is quite a bit of baking powder in this recipe and don't even think of cutting it down because it is what helps give them the fluff (yes that is a technical baking term I am sure). Add in the cold butter squares and cut it into the dry mixture. You can either use 2 knives or a pastry cutter. Then add the buttermilk and mix until the mixture is moist but be careful of over mixing...ya know like I always do with muffins. Finally add the cinnamon chips.



Put the dough on a floured surface and I know that any time I see floured surface in a recipe it means I will also be a floured surface in 4.2 seconds. Ahhh yeah the flour always ends up all over my shirt, in my hair and at times even a smidge on my face...but seriously who doesn't find flour sexy right? So pat the dough into 2-7' circles. Um I did not measure my circles I just cut the dough in half and patted it down. Brush melted butter on the dough and finally sprinkle with sugar. Then cut the dough into 12 scones. For me this is the most challenging part...yes I know you all are well aware of my lack of knife skills...I am also not so swell at cutting in straight lines. So my scones are not symmetrical and they are not perfectly shaped but they definitely make up in taste for what they lack in aesthetics. Bake them in a  425 degree over for 10-13 minutes...I went with 11 and that seemed to be perfect.

So not only do these scones taste like a slice of heaven they also make the house smell like Sacramento airport....seriously what a win win right? Hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend and oh dear god did you all hear that Snooki is going to have a baby....if you need an excuse to drink yup I just gave you one. Cheers!